1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a storage compartment, and more particularly to an outdoor storage compartment that is humanly easy to open and close, that provides a relatively protective environment, that can be camouflaged or have an esthetically attractive appearance, and that can be accessed without digging into the compartment, and that has a novel magnetic closure with a smooth opening and closing action.
2) Prior Art
The prior art principally teaches indoor compartments or cabinets, such as Thomas et. al., in U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,039, which is a toothbrush cabinet for holding toothbrushes and toothpaste in bathrooms. The Thomas patent teaches a cabinet that has a bottom opening door and an integral rack. Along the same lines, Judy Baker, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,964, teaches a cabinet with a side hinged door, where the cabinet is designed to be an insert in a wall. John Chap, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,199, teaches a retractable soap dish that can be flipped out forming therein providing a soap tray.
What is needed is a compartment or cabinet that can withstand the rigors of outdoors, that provides for the occasion where some undesired element, such as a spider or bee, might be within, and that has a relatively few number of parts so that it can easily manufactured and maintained. Preferably, the cabinet can be camouflaged and/or have an esthetically attractive appearance, and provide some flexibility in the level of security.